Goaltender Brian Ford played a few games for the Quebec Nordiques and the Pittsburgh Penguins in mid-1980s. The majority of his nine pro seasons were spent in the AHL and IHL where he enjoyed much success.

The native of Edmonton, Alberta saw plenty of rubber playing two seasons with the WHL's Billings Bighorns. Prior to the 1982-83 season, the Quebec Nordiques signed him as a free agent. He played only three NHL games for Quebec but was a top performer in the AHL with the Fredericton Express. In 1983 he shared the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award with teammate Clint Malarchuk after the duo allowed the fewest goals in the league. The next year he led the AHL with a 2.96 goals against average, won the Holmes Award on his own, was the recipient of the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the league's top goaltender, and was voted on to the AHL first all-star team.

In December 1984, Ford was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenceman Tom Thornbury. He played eight games for the Pens in 1984-85 but was relegated to the IHL's Muskegon Mohawks and the Baltimore Skipjacks of the AHL. He continued to toil in the minors and played briefly with the Fredericton Capitals and Saint John Vitos of the New Brunswick senior league before retiring in 1991.